The present invention relates to a transition metal compound, a catalyst for polymerizing olefin, an olefin base polymer using the above catalyst and a production process for the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a transition metal compound which is useful as a catalyst component for polymerizing olefin and which is easily synthesized, a highly active catalyst for polymerizing olefin which comprises the above transition metal compound and which efficiently provides olefin base homopolymers and copolymers, an olefin base polymer obtained by using this catalyst and a process for efficiently producing the same.
As a catalyst for producing soluble polyolefin, a catalyst called a metallocene catalyst comprising a compound having a cyclopentadienyl ring as a ligand containing the fourth periodic table group transition metal have so far been known (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 19309/1983, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 217209/1985, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 167307/1990 and the like). These metallocene catalysts are characterized in that they provide polymers having a narrow molecular weight distribution and are excellent in a copolymerizing property, but they have the defect that complicated operation is necessary in synthesizing a metallocene compound and that the production cost inevitably comes higher.
On the other hand, as a novel catalyst which is different from them, the fourth periodic table group transition metal complexes of a non-metallocene base (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 315109/1999) and catalyst systems comprising various non-metallocene base transition metal complexes (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 227608/1992, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 203106/1986, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 115311/1991, International Patent Publication No. 99-12981 and International Patent Publication No. 98-27124) are developed in recent years. It is known that the non-metallocene base transition metal complexes described above are easily synthesized and provide catalysts for polymerizing olefins having a high activity.
However, catalysts systems comprising these non-metallocene base transition metal complexes are highly active to ethylene but have a very low activity in producing homopolymers and copolymers of xcex1-olefins having 3 or more carbon atoms such as propylene, and they are not satisfactory from an industrial point of view.
Under such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel transition metal compound which is useful as a catalyst component for polymerizing propylene and other xcex1-olefins as well as ethylene and which is easily synthesized, a highly active catalyst for polymerizing olefins which comprises the above transition metal compound and which efficiently provides various olefin base homopolymers and copolymers, an olefin base polymer and copolymer obtained by using the above catalyst for polymerization. A further object of the present invention is to provide a production process for the same transition metal compound, catalyst, etc.
Intensive researches repeated by the present inventors in order to achieve the object of the present invention have resulted in finding that a transition metal compound having a specific structure is easily synthesized and useful as a catalyst component for polymerizing not only ethylene but also propylene and other xcex1-olefins and that a catalyst for polymerization comprising the above transition metal compound and an activation cocatalyst has a high activity and efficiently provides ethylene (co)polymers, propylene (co)polymers and other olefin base (co)polymers. The present invention has been completed based on such knowledges.
That is, the present invention provides:
(1) a transition metal compound represented by Formula (I): 
wherein M represents a transition metal element of the fourth group in the periodic table; X represents a "sgr" bonding ligand which is bonded to M, and when plural X""s are present, plural X""s may be the same as or different from each other; Y represents a Lewis base, and when plural Y""s are present, plural Y""s may be the same as or different from each other; T represents a group containing a "sgr" bonding atom which is bonded to M; E is a group containing an atom which can coordinate with M via a lone pair, and E represents xe2x80x94OR5, xe2x80x94SR5, xe2x80x94SeR5, xe2x80x94NR52, xe2x80x94PR52 or xe2x80x94P (O)R52; q is 1 or 2 and represents [(valency of M)xe2x88x922]; r represents an integer of 0 to 3; R1 to R4 and R5 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a silicon-containing group or a hetero atom-containing group; R1 to R4 may be the same as or different from each other and may form a ring together with an adjacent group; and when plural R5""s are present, plural R5""s may be the same as or different from each other,
(2) a catalyst for polymerizing olefin, characterized by comprising the transition metal compound represented by Formula (I) and an activation-aid catalyst as principal components,
(3) an olefin base polymer obtained by using the catalyst for polymerizing olefin described above, and
(4) a production process for an olefin base polymer, characterized by homopolymerizing olefins or copolymerizing olefins with other olefins and/or other monomers in the presence of the catalyst for polymerizing olefin described above.
The transition metal compound of the present invention is a novel compound represented by Formula (I): 
In Formula (I), M represents a transition metal element of the fourth group in the periodic table, and the specific examples thereof include titanium, zirconium and hafnium. Further in Formula (I), X represents a "sgr" bonding ligand which is bonded to M, and when plural X""s are present, plural X""s may be the same as or different from each other. Said X includes a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an amide group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a silicon-containing group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a phosphide group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a sulfide group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and an acyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. The halogen atom includes a chlorine atom, a fluorine atom, a bromine atom and an iodine atom. The hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms includes, to be specific, alkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl and octyl and alkenyl groups such as vinyl, propenyl and cyclohexenyl; arylalkyl groups such as benzyl, phenylethyl and phenylpropyl; and aryl groups such as phenyl tolyl, dimethylphenyl, trimethylphenyl, ethylphenyl, propylphenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, methylnaphthyl, anthracenyl and phenanthryl. The alkoxyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms includes alkoxyl groups such as methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy and butoxy, phenylmethoxy and phenylethoxy. The aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms includes phenoxy, methylphenoxy and dimethylphenoxy. The amide group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms includes alkylamide groups such as dimethylamide, diethylamide, dipropylamide, dibutylamide, dicyclohexylamide and methylethylamide; alkenylamide groups such as divinylamide, dipropenylamide and dicyclohexenylamide; arylalkylamide groups such as dibenzylamide, phenylethylamide and phenylpropylamide; and arylamide groups such diphenylamide and dinaphthylamide. The silicon-containing group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms includes monohydrocarbon-substituted silyl groups such as methylsilyl and phenylsilyl; dihydrocarbon-substituted silyl groups such as dimethylsilyl and diphenylsilyl; trihydrocarbon-substituted silyl groups such as trimethylsilyl, triethylsilyl, tripropylsilyl, dimethyl (t-butyl) silyl, tricyclohexylsilyl, triphenylsilyl, dimethylphenylsilyl, methyldiphenylsilyl, tritolylsilyl and trinaphthylsilyl; hydrocarbon-substituted silyl ether groups such as trimethylsilyl ether; silicon-substituted alkyl groups such as trimethylsilylmethyl and phenyldimethylsilylethyl; silicon-substituted aryl groups such as trimethylsilylphenyl, and dimethylhydrosilyl and methyldihydrosilyl. The sulfide group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms includes alkylsulfide groups such as methylsulfide, ethylsulfide, propylsulfide, butylsulfide, hexylsulfide, cyclohexylsulfide and octylsulfide; alkenylsulfide groups such as vinylsulfide, propenylsulfide and cyclohexenylsulfide; arylalkylsulfide groups such as benzylsulfide, phenylethylsulfide and phenylpropylsulfide; and arylsulfide groups such as phenylsulfide, tolylsulfide, dimethylphenylsulfide, trimethylphenylsulfide, ethylphenylsulfide, propylphenylsulfide, biphenylsulfide, naphthylsulfide, methylnaphthylsulfide, anthracenylsulfide and phenanthrylsulfide.
The acyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms includes alkylacyl groups such as formyl, acetyl, propionyl, butylyl, valeryl, palmitoyl, stearoyl and oleoyl; arylacyl groups such as benzoyl, toluoyl, salyciloyl, cynnamoyl, naphthoyl and phthaloyl; and oxalyl, malonyl and succinyl which are derived from dicarboxylic acids such as oxalic acid, malonic acid and succinic acid.
Further in Formula (I), Y represents a Lewis base, and when plural Y""s are present, they may be the same or different. Said Y includes amines, ethers, phosphines, thioethers, esters and nitriles. As the specific examples of Y, amines such as ammonia, methylamine, aniline, dimethylamine, diethylamine, N-methylaniline, diphenylamine, N, N-dimethylaniline, trimethylamine, triethylamine, tri-n-butylamine, methyldiphenylamine, pyridine and p-bromo-N, N-dimethylaniline, phosphines such as triethylphosphine, triphenylphosphine and diphenylphosphine, thioethers such as tetrahydrothiophene, esters such as ethyl benzoate and nitrites such as acetonitrile and benzonitrile can be described.
Furthermore in Formula (I), T represents a group containing a "sgr" bonding atom which is bonded to M and includes, to be specific, R62C less than , R62Si less than , R62Ge less than , R62Sn less than , R6B less than , R6Al less than , R6P less than , R6N less than , oxygen (xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94), sulfur (xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94) and selenium (xe2x80x94Sexe2x80x94) (provided that R6 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a silicon-containing group or a hetero atom-containing group, and when plural R6""s are present, plural R6""s may be the same as or different from each other). Among them, oxygen (xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94), sulfur (xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94) or selenium (xe2x80x94Sexe2x80x94), particularly oxygen is preferred in terms of easiness in synthesis and a yield.
Furthermore in Formula (I), E is a group containing an atom which can coordinate with M via a lone pair and represents xe2x80x94OR5, xe2x80x94SR5, xe2x80x94SeR5, xe2x80x94NR52, xe2x80x94PR52 or xe2x80x94P (O)R52 (provided that R5 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a silicon-containing group or a hetero atom-containing group, and when plural R5""s are present, plural R5""s may be the same as or different from each other). Among them, xe2x80x94NR52 or xe2x80x94P (O)R52, particularly xe2x80x94PR52 is preferred in terms of easiness in synthesis and a polymer yield.
Similarly in Formula (I), q is 1 or 2 and represents [(valency of M)xe2x88x922], and r represents an integer of 0 to 3.
Moreover in Formula (I), R1 to R4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a silicon-containing group or a hetero atom-containing group. These R1 to R4 may be the same as or different from each other and may form a ring together with an adjacent group.
In these R1 to R4 and R5 and R6 described above, the examples of the hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms include alkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl and octyl; alkenyl groups such as vinyl, propenyl and cyclohexenyl; arylalkyl groups such as benzyl, phenylethyl and phenylpropyl; and aryl groups such as phenyl tolyl, dimethylphenyl, trimethylphenyl, ethylphenyl, propylphenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, methylnaphthyl, anthracenyl and phenanthryl.
The examples of the halogen-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms include p-fluorophenyl, 3,5-difluorophenyl, 3,4,5-trifluorophenyl, pentafluorophenyl, 3,5-bis (trifluoromethyl) phenyl and fluorobutyl. A silicon-containing group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms is preferred as the silicon-containing group and includes, to be specific, monohydrocarbon-substituted silyl groups such as methylsilyl and phenylsilyl; dihydrocarbon-substituted silyl groups such as dimethylsilyl and diphenylsilyl; trihydrocarbon-substituted silyl groups such as trimethylsilyl, triethylsilyl, tripropylsilyl, dimethyl (t-butyl) silyl, tricyclohexylsilyl, triphenylsilyl, dimethylphenylsilyl, methyldiphenylsilyl, tritolylsilyl and trinaphthylsilyl; hydrocarbon-substituted silyl ether groups such as trimethylsilyl ether; and silicon-substituted alkyl groups such as trimethylsilylmethyl and bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl.
Further, the examples of the hetero atom-containing group include methoxyethyl, diisopropylaminoethyl, furyl, methylfuryl, benzofuryl, methylthioethyl and thienyl.
Typical examples of the transition metal compound represented by Formula (I) described above are bis (2-diphenylphosphinophenoxy) zirconium dichloride, bis (2-dimethylphosphinophenoxy) zirconium dichloride, bis (2-diphenylphosphino-6-methylphenoxy) zirconium dichloride, bis (2-diphenylphosphino-6-isopropylphenoxy) zirconium dichloride, bis (2-diphenylphosphino-4-isopropylphenoxy) zirconium dichloride, bis (2-diphenylphosphino-6-tert-butylphenoxy) zirconium dichloride, bis (2-diphenylphosphino-4-tert-butylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-4,6-di-tert-butylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-4,6-diisopropylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-4-tert-butyl-6-methylphenoxy)-zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylaminophenoxy)-zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-6-methylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-6-isopropylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4-isopropylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-6-tert-butylphenoxy)-zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4-tert-butylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4,6-di-tert-butylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4,6-diisopropylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4-tert-butyl-6-methylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-methoxyphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-6-trimethylsilylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphinothiophenoxy)-zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-6-methylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-6-iso-propylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-6-tert-butylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-4,6-di-tert-butylphenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-4,6-di-iso-propylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylaminothiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-6-iso-propylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-6-tert-butylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4,6-di-tert-butylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-dimethylamino-4-methyl-6-tert-butylthiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-methoxythiophenoxy)zirconium dichloride, bis(2-diphenylphosphino-6-trimethylsilylthiophenoxy)-zirconium dichloride and compounds obtained by substituting zirconium contained in these compounds with titanium or hafnium. It is a matter of course that the examples shall not be restricted to these compounds.
The catalyst for polymerizing olefin according to the present invention comprises (A) the transition metal compound represented by Formula (I) described above and an activation cocatalyst as principal components. As the above activation cocatalyst, (B) a compound which can be reacted with the transition metal compound of the component (A) or a derivative thereof to form an ionic complex, or clay, clay mineral or an ion-exchangeable compound and (C) an organic aluminum compound used if necessary can be nominated.
Regarding the compound that can be reacted with the transition metal compound of the component (A) or the derivative thereof to form an ionic complex out of the components (B), (B-1) an ionic compound which is reacted with the transition metal compound of the component (A) to form an ionic complex, (B-2) aluminoxane, or (B-3) a Lewis acid can preferably be given from the viewpoint that the polymerization activity is high and the catalyst cost can be reduced.
Any compounds can be used as the (B-1) component as long as they are ionic compounds which are reacted with the transition metal compound of the component (A) to form ionic complexes, but particularly compounds represented by the following Formulas (II) and (III) are preferred from the viewpoint that polymerization active sites can efficiently be formed:
([L1xe2x88x92R7]h+)a([Z]xe2x88x92)bxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(II)
([L2]h+)a([Z]xe2x88x92)6xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(III)
(Provided that L2 is M1, R8R9M2, R103C or R11M2).
In Formulas (II) and (III), L1 represents a Lewis base, and [Z]xe2x88x92 represents a non-coordinative anion [Z1]xe2x88x92 or [Z2]xe2x88x92, in which [Z1]xe2x88x92 is an anion obtained by combining plural groups with an element, that is, [M3G1G2 . . . Gf] (in which M3 represents an element of the 5th to 15th group in the periodic table, preferably an element of the 13th to 15th group in the periodic table. In the above-description, G1 to Gf each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a dialkylamino group having 2 to 40 carbon atoms, an alkoxyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylaryl group having 7 to 40 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having 7 to 40 carbon atoms, a halogen-substituted hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an acyloxyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an organic metalloid group or a hetero atom-containing hydrocarbon group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms. Among G1 to Gf, two or more groups may be combined to form a ring. Further in above description, f represents an integer of [(valency of the central metal M3)+1]), [Z2]xe2x88x92 represents a Brxc3x6ensted acid alone in which a logarithm of an inverse number of an acid dissociation constant (pKa) is xe2x88x9210 or less or a conjugate base obtained by combining a Brxc3x6nsted acid with a Lewis base or a conjugate base which is usually defined as a superacid, and it may be coordinated with a Lewis acid. Furthermore in the above description, R7 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylaryl group or an arylalkyl group; R8 and R9 each represent a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substituted fluorenyl group; R10 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group, an alkylaryl group or an arylalkyl group; R11 represents a macrocyclic ligand such as tetraphenylporphyrin and phthalocyanine. Moreover in the above-description, h is an ionic valency of [L1xe2x80x94R7] and [L2] and represents an integer of 1 to 3; a is an integer of 1 or more; b is (hxc3x97a); M1 represents an element of the 1st to 3rd, 11th to 13th or 17th group in the periodic table; and M2 represents an element of the 7th to 12th group in the periodic table.
In this respect, typical examples of L1 are amines such as ammonia, methylamine, aniline, dimethylamine, diethylamine, N-methylaniline, diphenylamine, N,N-dimethylaniline, trimethylamine, triethylamine, tri-n-butylamine, methyldiphenylamine, pyridine, p-bromo-N,N-dimethylaniline and p-nitro-N,N-dimethylaniline, phosphines such as triethylphosphine, triphenylphosphine and diphenylphosphine, thioethers such as tetrahydrothiophene, esters such as ethyl benzoate and nitriles such as acetonitrile and benzonitrile.
Hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, benzyl and triethyl can be given as the specific examples of R7, and cyclopentadienyl, methylcyclopentadieny, ethylcyclopentadienyl and pentamethylcyclopentadienyl can be given as the specific examples of R8 and R9. Phenyl, p-tolyl and p-methoxyphenyl can be given as the specific examples of R10. Tetraphenylporphyrin, phthalocyanine and methallyl can be given as the specific examples of R11. Also, Li, Na, K, Ag, Cu, Br and I can be given as the specific examples of M1, and Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Zn can be given as the specific examples of M2.
Further, in [Z1]xe2x88x92, that is, [M3G1G2 . . . Gf], B, Al, Si, P, As and Sb are preferred as the specific examples of M3, and B or Al is preferred. The specific examples of G1, G2 to Gf include the dialkylamino group such as dimethylamino and diethylamino; the alkoxyl group or aryloxy group such as methoxy, ethoxy, n-butoxy and phenoxy; the hydrocarbon group such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, n-octyl, n-eicosyl, phenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl, 4-t-butylphenyl and 3,5-dimethylphenyl; the halogen atom such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine; the hetero atom-containing hydrocarbon group such as p-fluorophenyl, 3,5-difluorophenyl, pentachlorophenyl, 3,4,5-trifluorophenyl, pentafluorophenyl, 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl and bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl; and the organic metaloid group such as pentamethylantimony, trimethylsilyl, trimethylgermyl, diphenylarsine, dicyclohexyantimony and diphenylboron.
Typical examples of the non-coordinative anion, that is, the Brxc3x6nsted acid alone in which pKa is xe2x88x9210 or less or the conjugate base [Z2]xe2x88x92 obtained by combining a Brxc3x6nsted acid with a Lewis acid are trifluoromethanesulfonic acid anion (CF3SO3)xe2x88x92, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) methyl anion, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) benzyl anion, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide, perchlorate anion (ClO4)xe2x88x92, trifluoroacetic acid anion (CF3CO2)xe2x88x92, hexafluoroantimony anion (SbF6)xe2x88x92, fluorosulfonic acid anion (FSO3)xe2x88x92, chlorosulfonic acid anion (ClSO3)xe2x88x92, fluorosulfonic acid anion/antimony pentafluoride (FSO3/SbF5)xe2x88x92, fluorosulfonic acid anion/arsenic pentafluoride (FSO3/AsF5) and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid anion/antimony pentafluoride (CF3SO3/SbF5)xe2x88x92.
Typical examples of the ionic compound which is reacted with the transition metal compound of the component (A) described above to form the ionic complex, that is, the (B-1) component compound are triethylammonium tetraphenylborate, tri-n-butylammonium tetraphenyl-borate, trimethylammonium tetraphenylborate, tetraethylammonium tetraphenylborate, methyl (tri-n-butyl) ammonium tetraphenylborate, benzyl (tri-n-butyl) ammonium tetraphenylborate, dimethyldiphenyl-ammonium tetraphenylborate, triphenyl(methyl)ammonium tetraphenylborate, trimethylanilinium tetraphenyl-borate, methylpyridinium tetraphenylborate, benzylpyridinium tetraphenylborate, methyl(2-cyanopyridinium) tetraphenylborate, triethylammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, tri-n-butylammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, triphenylammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, tetra-n-butylammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-borate, tetraethylammonium tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, benzyl(tri-n-butyl)ammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, methyldiphenylammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-borate, triphenyl(methyl)ammonium tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, methylanilinium tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, trimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, methylpyridinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, benzylpyridinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, methyl(2-cyanopyridinium) tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, benzyl(2-cyanopyridinium) tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, methyl(4-cyanopyridinium) tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, triphenylphosphonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-borate, dimethylanilinium tetrakis[3,5-di(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate, ferrocenium tetraphenylborate, silver tetraphenylborate, trityl tetraphenylborate, tetraphenylporphyrinmanganese tetraphenylborate, ferrocenium tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, (1,1xe2x80x2-dimethylferrocenium) tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, decamethyl-ferrocenium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, silver tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, trityl tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, lithium tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, sodium tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)borate, tetraphenylporphyrin-manganese tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, silver tetrafluoroborate, silver hexafluorophosphate, silver hexafluoroarsenate, silver perchlorate, silver trifluoroacetate and silver trifluoromethanesulfonate.
The ionic compound reacted with the transition metal compound of said component (A) to form the ionic complex, which is the (B-1) component, may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof.
On the other hand, chain aluminoxane represented by the following Formula (IV) and cyclic aluminoxane represented by the following Formula (V) can be given as the aluminoxane of the (B-2) component: 
wherein R12""s each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and they may be the same or different; w is an integer of 2xe2x89xa6wxe2x89xa640, and s is an integer of 1 less than sxe2x89xa650.
To be specific, it includes aluminoxanes such as methylaluminoxane, ethylaluminoxane and isobutylaluminoxane.
A production process for the aluminoxane described above includes a process in which aluminum is brought into contact with a condensing agent such as water. However, the means therefor shall not specifically be restricted, and the reaction may be carried out according to a publicly known process. It includes, for example, a process in which an organic aluminum compound is dissolved in an organic solvent and in which this solution is brought into contact with water, a process in which an organic aluminum compound is added at first in polymerization and then water is added thereto, a process in which crystal water contained in a metal salt or water adsorbed on an inorganic matter and an organic matter is reacted with an organic aluminum compound and a process in which tetraalkyldialuminoxane is reacted with trialkylaluminum and further reacted with water. Aluminoxane that is insoluble in toluene may be used. The aluminoxane may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof.
The Lewis acid of the (B-3) component shall not specifically be restricted and may be either an organic compound or a solid inorganic compound. From the viewpoint that the active sites can efficiently be formed, boron compounds and aluminum compounds are preferably used as the organic compound, and magnesium compounds and aluminum compounds are preferably used as the inorganic compound. The above aluminum compounds include, for example, methyl bis (2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenoxy) aluminum and methyl (1,1-bi-naphthoxy) aluminum; the magnesium compounds include, for example, magnesium chloride and diethoxymagnesium; the aluminum compounds include, for example, aluminum oxide and aluminum chloride; the boron compounds include, for example, triphenyl-boron, tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron, tris[3,5-bis (trifluoromethyl)phenyl]boron, tris[(4-fluoromethyl)phenyl]boron, trimethylboron, triethylboron, tri-n-butylboron, tris(fluoromethyl)-boron, tris(pentafluoroethyl)boron, tris(nanofluorobutyl)boron, tris(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)boron, tris(3,5-difluorophenyl)boron, tris[3,5-bis(trifluorophenyl)]boron, bis(pentafluorophenyl)fluoroboron, diphenylfluoro-boron, bis(pentafluorophenyl)chloroboron, dimethylfluoroboron, diethylfluoroboron, di-n-butylfluoroboron, pentafluorophenyldifluoroboron, phenyldifluoroboron, pentafluorophenyldichloroboron, methyldifluoroboron, ethyldifluoroboron and n-butyldifluoroboron.
These Lewis acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof.
On the other hand, in (B-4) the clay, clay mineral or ion-exchangeable compound out of the (B) components, clay is an aggregate of fine silicate hydrate minerals and is a substance which exhibits plasticity by mixing with a suitable amount of water and kneading and shows rigidity by drying and which is sintered by baking at a high temperature. The clay mineral is silicate hydrate that constitutes a principal component of clay. Either of the clay and the clay mineral may be used for the preparation of the olefin polymerization catalyst component described above, and they may be either natural substances or artificially synthesized substances.
An ion-exchangeable stratified compound is a compound having a crystalline structure in which planes constituted by ionic bond are parallel superposed on each other by a weak bonding power and in which ions contained therein are exchangeable. An ion-exchangeable stratified compound is included in the clay mineral.
To show the specific examples of these (B-4) components, for example, phyllosilicic acids can be given as the clay mineral. The phyllosilicic acids include phyllosilicic acid and phyllosilicate. As the phyllosilicate, natural compounds such as montmorillonite, saponite and hectolite which belong to a smectite group, illite and sericite which belong to a mica group and mixed layer minerals of a smectite group and a mica group or a mica group and a vermiculite group can be nominated. Further, tetrasilicon fluoride mica, laponite and smectone can be given as the synthetic compound. In addition to them, ionic crystalline compounds having a stratified crystalline structure which are not clay minerals, such as xcex1-Zr(HPO4)2, xcex3-Zr(HPO4)2, xcex1-Ti(HPO4)2 and xcex3-Ti(HPO4)2 can be employed.
Clays and clay minerals which do not belong to an ion-exchangeable stratified compound include clay which is called bentonite because of a low montmorillonite content, Kibushi clay in which a lot of other components are contained in montmorillonite, gairome clay, sepiolite showing a fibrous form, parigolskite, and amorphous or low crystalline allophane and imogolite.
Further, a particle having a volume average particle diameter of 10 xcexcm or less is preferred as the (B-4) component, and a particle having a volume average particle diameter of 3 xcexcm or less is more preferred. In general, particles have a particle diameter distribution, and the (B-4) content has preferably a particle diameter distribution in which a volume average particle diameter is 10 xcexcm or less and the particles having a volume average particle diameter of 3.0 xcexcm or less are contained in a proportion of 10% by weight or more, more preferably a particle diameter distribution in which a volume average particle diameter is 10 xcexcm or less and the particles having a volume average particle diameter of 1.5 xcexcm or less are contained in a proportion of 10% by weight or more. A method for measuring the volume average particle diameter and the contained proportion includes, for example, a measuring method using an equipment (CIS-1 manufactured by Galai Production Ltd.) for measuring a particle diameter by a light transmittance of a laser beam. Further, the (B-4) component may be subjected to acid treatment, alkali treatment, salts treatment or organic substance treatment. Particularly, the component that is pre-treated with an organic silicon compound and an organic aluminum compound is preferred since the polymerization activity is elevated.
Among these (B-4) components, the components having a high capability to adsorb quaternary ammonium salts or to react with clay to form an intercalation product (called intercalation) are preferable. The components shall not specifically be restricted and include quaternary alkyl ammonium salts, quaternary aryl ammonium salts, quaternary arylalkyl ammonium salts, quaternary benzyl ammonium salts, heteroaromatic ammonium salts and the like. For example, clay or clay mineral is preferred and, to be specific, philo-silicate is preferred. Further, smectite is preferred, and montmorillonite is particularly preferred. Tetrasilicon fluoride mica is preferred as a synthetic product.
A use proportion of the catalyst component (A) to the catalyst component (B) in the polymerizing catalyst of the present invention falls in a range of preferably 10:1 to 1:100, more preferably 2:1 to 1:10 in terms of a mole ratio when the (B-1) compound is used as the catalyst component (B). If it deviates from the range described above, the catalyst cost per a polymer unit weight grows high, and therefore it is not practical. Also, it falls in a range of preferably 1:1 to 1:1,000,000, more preferably 1:10 to 1:10,000 in terms of a mole ratio when the (B-2) compound is used. If it deviates from this range, the catalyst cost per a polymer unit weight grows high, and therefore it is not practical. A use proportion of the catalyst component (A) to the catalyst component (B-3) described above falls in a range of preferably 10:1 to 1:2,000, more preferably 5:1 to 1:1,000 and further preferably 2:1 to 1:500 in terms of a mole ratio. If it deviates from this range, the catalyst cost per a polymer unit weight goes up, and therefore it is not practical. In respect to a use proportion of the catalyst component (A) to the catalyst component (B-4), the transition metal complex of the component (A) falls in a range of 0.1 to 1,000 micromole, preferably 1 to 100 micromole per a unit weight [g] of clay of the component (B-4).
(B-1), (B-2), (B-3) and (B-4) can be used as the catalyst component (B-4) alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof.
The polymerizing catalyst of the present invention may comprise the catalyst component (A) and the catalyst component (B) described above as principal components or may comprise the catalyst component (A), the catalyst component (B) and the organic aluminum compound (C) as principal components.
In this respect, used as the organic aluminum compound of the component (C) described above is a compound represented by Formula (VI):
R13vAlQ3-vxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(VI)
wherein R13 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; Q represents a hydrogen atom, an alkoxyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms or a halogen atom; and v represents a real number of 1 to 3.
The specific examples of the compound represented by Formula (VI) include trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, triisopropylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, dimethylaluminum chloride, diethylaluminum chloride, methylaluminum dichloride, ethylaluminum dichloride, dimethylaluminum fluoride, diisobutylaluminum hydride, diethylaluminum hydride and ethylaluminum sesquichloride. The trialkylaluminum compounds are preferred as this organic aluminum compound, and among them, trimethylaluminum and triisopropylaluminum are suited.
These organic aluminum compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof.
A use proportion of the catalyst component (A) to the catalyst component (C) described above falls in a range of preferably 1:1 to 1:10,000, more preferably 1:5 to 1:2,000 and further preferably 1:10 to 1:1,000 in terms of a mole ratio. Use of the above catalyst component (C) makes it possible to elevate the polymerization activity per the transition metal, but if it is too much, particularly if it deviates from the range described above, the organic aluminum compound comes to nothing and remains in the polymer in a large amount. On the other hand, if it is small, the satisfactory catalyst activity is not obtained, and it is not preferred in a certain case.
In the present invention, among or after bringing the respective components into contact, the polymer such as polyethylene and polypropylene and the inorganic oxide such as silica and alumina may be allowed to coexist or brought into contact. In carrying them on a carrier, they are preferably carried on a polymer, and such carrier polymer has a particle diameter of usually 1 to 300 xcexcm, preferably 10 to 200 xcexcm and more preferably 20 to 100 xcexcm. If this particle diameter is smaller than 1 xcexcm, fine powders contained in the polymer are increased, and if it exceeds 300 xcexcm, coarse particles contained in the polymer are increased and causes a reduction in the bulk density and clogging of a hopper in a manufacturing process. In this case, the carrier has a specific surface area of 1 to 1,000 m2/g, preferably 50 to 500 m2/g and a pore capacity of 0.1 to 5 m3/g, preferably 0.3 to 3 m3/g.
The contact may be carried out in hydrocarbon such as pentane, hexane, heptane, toluene and xylene in inert gas such as nitrogen. The addition or contact of the respective components not only can be carried out at a polymerizing temperature but also is preferably carried out at xe2x88x9230xc2x0 C. to a boiling point of each solvent, particularly a room temperature to a boiling point of the solvent.
Such catalyst for polymerizing olefin according to the present invention makes it possible to homopolymerize or copolymerize not only ethylene but also propylene and other xcex1-olefins at a high activity. Further, the transition metal compound that is the catalyst component (A) is easily synthesized, and the production cost of the catalyst is low.
The olefin base polymer of the present invention is obtained by using the catalyst for polymerizing olefin described above and can be produced by homopolymerizing olefins or copolymerizing olefins with other olefins and/or other monomers in the presence of the above catalyst for polymerizing olefin.
In the production process for the olefin polymer of the present invention, the organic aluminum compound (C) may be used by bringing in advance into contact with the component (A) and/or the component (B) or may be used by adding the component (C) to a reactor and then bringing into contact with the component (A) and the component (B). A use amount of the component (C) is the same as that of the catalyst for polymerizing olefin described above. According to the production process for the olefin polymer of the present invention, the homopolymerization of olefins or the copolymerization of olefins with other olefins and/or other monomers (that is, copolymerization of different kinds of olefins themselves, copolymerization of olefins with other monomers or copolymerization of different kinds of olefins with other monomers) in the presence of the polymerizing catalyst described above are suitably carried out.
The above olefins shall not specifically be restricted, and ethylene or xcex1-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms is preferred. This xcex1-olefin includes, for example, xcex1-olefins such as propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-nonene, 1-decene, 4-phenyl-1-butene, 6-phenyl-1-hexene, 3-meyhyl-1-butene, 4-meyhyl-1-butene, 3-meyhyl-1-pentene, 4-meyhyl-1-hexene, 5-meyhyl-1-hexene, 3,3-dimeyhyl-1-pentene, 3,4-dimeyhyl-1-pentene, 4,4-dimeyhyl-1-pentene and vinylcyclohexane; halogen-substituted xcex1-olefins such as hexafluoropropene, tetrafluoroethylene, 2-fluoropropene, fluoroethylene, 1,1-difluoroethylene, 3-fluoropropene, trifluoroethylene and 3,4-dichloroethylene; cyclic olefins such as cyclopentene, cyclohexene, norbornene, 5-methylnorbornene, 5-ethylnorbornene, 5-propylnorbornene, 5,6-dimethylnorbornene and 5-benzylnorbornene; styrenes including styrene and alkylstyrenes such as p-methylstyrene, p-ethylstyrene, p-propylstyrene, p-isopropylstyrene, p-butylstyrene, p-tert-butylstyrene, p-phenylstyrene, o-methylstyrene, o-ethylstyrene, o-propylstyrene, o-isopropylstyrene, m-methylstyrene, m-ethylstyrene, m-isopropylstyrene, m-butylstyrene, mesitylstyrene, 2,4-dimethylstyrene, 2,5-dimethylstyrene and 3,5-dimethylstyrene; alkoxystyrenes such as p-methoxystyrene, o-methoxystyrene and m-methoxystyrene; halogenated styrenes such as p-chlorostyrene, m-chlorostyrene, o-chlorostyrene, p-bromostyrene, m-bromostyrene, o-bromostyrene, p-fluorostyrene, m-fluorostyrene, o-fluorostyrene and o-methyl-p-fluorostyrene; trimethylsilylstyrene, vinyl benzoate and divinylbenzene. Those suitably selected from the olefins described above may be used for the other olefins.
In the present invention, the olefins described above may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof. In copolymerizing two or more kinds of olefins, the olefins described above can suitably be combined.
Further, in the present invention, the olefins described above may be copolymerized with other monomers, and capable of being given as the other monomers used in this case are, for example, chain diolefins such as butadiene, isoprene, 1,4-pentadiene and 1,5-hexadiene, polycyclic olefins such as norbornene, 1,4,5,8-dimethano-1,2,3,4,4a,5,8,8a-octahydronaphthalene and 2-norbornene, cyclic diolefins such as norbornadiene, 5-ethylidenenorbornene, 5-vinylnorbornene and dicyclopentadiene, and unsaturated esters such as ethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate.
In the present invention, propylene is particularly suited as the olefins.
In the present invention, a process for polymerizing olefins shall not specifically be restricted, and capable of being employed are optional polymerizing methods such as a slurry polymerizing method, a solution polymerizing method, a gas phase polymerizing method, a bulk polymerizing method and a suspension polymerizing method.
When using a polymerization solvent, the solvent includes hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene, n-hexane, n-heptane, cyclohexane, methylene chloride, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane and chlorobenzene. They may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof. Further, the monomers used for the polymerization can be used as well as the solvent depending on the kind thereof.
It is advantageous in terms of a polymerization activity and a reactor efficiency to select a use amount of the catalyst in the polymerization reaction so that that of the component (A) falls in a range of usually 0.5 to 100 micromole, preferably 2 to 25 micromole per liter of the solvent.
In respect to the polymerization condition, the pressure is selected in a range of usually an atmospheric pressure to 200 MPaxc2x7G. The polymerization temperature falls in a range of usually xe2x88x9250 to 250xc2x0 C. A method for controlling a molecular weight of the polymer includes the kind and a use amount of the respective catalyst components, selection of the polymerization temperature and introduction of hydrogen. Further, in the polymerization of olefin in the present invention, the catalyst can be used to carry out pre-polymerization. Bringing a small amount of olefin into contact with the catalyst can carry out this pre-polymerization. In this case, the polymerization temperature is xe2x88x9220 to 100xc2x0 C., preferably xe2x88x9210 to 70xc2x0 C. and particularly preferably 0 to 50xc2x0 C. Also, inert hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and monomers are used as a solvent used in this pre-polymerization. In particular, aliphatic hydrocarbons are preferred. This pre-polymerization can be carried out as well without using solvents. The pre-polymerization is preferably carried out so that the pre-polymerization product has a limiting viscosity [xcex7] (measured in decalin at 135xc2x0 C.) of 0.2 deciliter/g or more, preferably 0.5 deciliter/g or more, and the conditions are preferably controlled so that an amount of the pre-polymerization product is 1 to 10,000 g, preferably 10 to 1,000 g per millimole of the transition metal component contained in the catalyst.
The present invention shall be explained below in further details with reference to examples, but the present invention shall by no means be restricted by the following examples.